Dutton sets deadline for 'fake refugees'

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has had enough of illegal arrivals who for years have refused to make a detailed claim for asylum in Australia, dubbing them "fake refugees".

He has set a non-negotiable deadline of October 1 for 7500 illegal maritime arrivals to make a protection claim, or face the threat of deportation.

"We aren't going to tolerate that any longer," he told reporters in Brisbane on Sunday.

Many arrived without identity documents on boats run by people smugglers up to seven years ago under previous Labor governments.

Mr Dutton said many were residing in Australia on government benefits which last year cost around $250 million in income support alone

"If people think they can rip the Australian taxpayer off, if people think that they can con the Australian taxpayer, then I'm sorry, the game's up and we won't allow people to take Australian taxpayers for a ride," he told reporters.

Until individual processes were finalised, the government would continue to provide Medicare support, allow children to attend school and allow people to work, but would not provide income support.

Refugee advocates are up in arms, saying Mr Dutton has delivered a 'death blow' to thousands of people who have been waiting patiently to file their claims.

Labor immigration spokesman Shayne Neumann said it was important people made their application as soon as possible, but questioned why it had taken the government four years to take action.

"I think the public will see what this is all about," Mr Neumann told reporters in Ipswich.

"It's about Peter Dutton putting his name in the paper, angling for the prime ministership, not doing his job and angling for Malcolm Turnbull's job."

He said Labor would use this week's Senate estimates to find out the full details of the October 1 deadline.

GetUp! organised a snap protest on the lawns of Parliament House in Canberra, attracting about 70 people.

The group's human rights director Shen Narayanasamy said the government had announced this knowing legal services were completely overwhelmed.

"(This) is 7500 people that are living and working in our communities, that are possibly driving our cabs and our Ubers, that are cleaning the toilets in Parliament House, that have their children right now wondering whether they're going to make the footy final in September," Ms Narayansamy said.

Dominic Ofner from the Edmund Rice Centre said the announcement came after the government had already cut legal support for people seeking asylum and put a freeze on the granting of protection visas - a freeze which was only lifted for all people seeking asylum in late 2016.

Only last week Foreign Minister Julie Bishop was spruiking Australia's commitment to human rights as part of the government's campaign to win a seat on the Human Rights Council.

"It is simply beyond embarrassing that our government is doing everything it possibly can to deny basic rights to 7500 people seeking asylum in Australia," Mr Ofner said.

Professor George Newhouse, Human Rights Lawyer from the National Justice Project said Mr Dutton's announcement showed blatant disregard for the processes of the law, the cost of legal aid, "adding panic to uncertainty".